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I'avin
The I'avin are a species of scientifically-minded avians with an affinity for inventing and experimentation that verges on savant. Coupled with a highly inquisitive nature and a civilization-wide disregard for personal safety in preference of optimizing inventions, this talent results in what could be described as an entire species of "mad scientists". Hailing from Mechanica, they sweep the cosmos in a quest for new ideas and curiosities to explore. History The distant ancestors of the I'avin were tree-dwelling scavengers who's first steps towards civilization was realizing that they could set traps to create carrion for themselves. At some point along their evolutionary path they picked up psionic abilities which lat them manipulate the world around them in bizarre and useful ways. Eventually the I'avin would reach the stars and form a few small empires for themselves, searching the cosmos for new things to study. Due to their volatile nature, their species has suffered several civilization-destroying events over roughly thousand years of history, each one leaving them to recover and once again reach the stars. During previous cycles, the I'avin have been responsible for several UFO sightings among Humans, Gileans, and X. They were also responsible for the Martian Plague that swept across Brule and led to the foundation of the Wayvren Confederacy. Habitat and population Population centres Lifestyle Biology Anatomy I'avin range in height from roughly 125 centimetres to 150 centimetres and are very light, averaging at about 20-30 kilograms. While mostly avian in appearance, they also have a few traits bordering on those found in the prehistoric Earth raptors. They are covered in very fine feathers that are overall drab in colouration, consisting of black and brown save for the red feathers that give each I'avin a semi-unique facial marking. While for the most part their anatomy resembles that of humans, a few notable differences exist. I'avin have extended ankles, much like birds; this gives them the appearance of having backwards-bending knees. They also posses a long, whip-like tail which can be longer than they are. They do not have noticeable ears; instead their two small horns act like additional hearing organs alongside their aural canals. Their forearms and hips sport "fans" of very large, black feathers. Being omnivorous scavengers, I'avin have a variety of small teeth inside a beak-like maw. Speech I'avin do not have a larynx. Instead, they have an organ similar to a syrinx. In addition to giving them an incredibly complex array of sounds to use, it allows them to easily duplicate other species languages once they have learned them. Gender I'avin females are slighter than males and posses small breasts which they use to feed their young for the first few months before they can get food for themselves. Additionally, males have shorter feathers while females have longer, more curved ones. Life cycle I'avin will lay one egg after a 1-2 month pregnancy. After about four more months the egg will hatch, and the chick will reach maturity in four years. I'avin live for about 80-100 years (though their practical lifespan is often much shorter). Psychic field I'avin naturally project a psychic field around themselves which allows them to subconsciously bend physics. This talent can account for most of their more bizarre science; I'avin are not constrained by reality when it comes to inventing new devices. While they can easily create advanced or outright impossible technology, the forces that allow it to function are often unstable and prone to failing spectacularly, meaning that for it to be reliable a considerable amount of work must go into its construction and maintenance. Psychology I'avin are notorious for having a near-complete lack of ethics in favour for blind progressive urges. They have no problems with experimenting on fellow I'avin or helpless aliens if it will benefit their research. This isn't to say they are hostile; rather that their priorities are quite different from those of most other spacefaring species. By nature I'avin are curious and driven, eager to explore new places and seek out new experiences. Culture Spirituality and religion The I'avin lack any kind of belief in a "higher power", but they do have a widespread philosophy of sorts centred on the disciplines of science. They pay tribute to almost anthropomorphic representations of the sciences; Biology (who governs their bodies and all bodies and allows them to live and breathe), Psychology (who organizes minds and directs how beings think and feel), Logic (who separates truth from falsehood and renders complexity into simplicity), Physics (who commands the movement of all things), Chemistry (who guides the mixtures and solutions, flames and gasses), and Mathematics (who tallies and divides, letting one separate the nothingness from the endless). Art, music, and literature The artistic and aesthetic tastes of the I'avin could easily be compared to Victorian-era Earth. Literature and theatre are quite popular, as are radio plays and to a lesser extent television dramas. While the technology of the I'avin makes the "fantastical" more mundane, this does little to curb the general appeal of stories; the way the technology inside such fiction works is often as big a part of the attraction as the story itself. Society, government, and politics The I'avin have two major superpowers vying for control of their homeworld, Mechanica. The Loril Federation is made of nations which endorse rapid expansionist policies, while the Viktoryah Territories wish to follow a slower, more methodical and careful colonization and exploration effort. Category:Species Category:Races